Billie Jean King raised her right arm in triumph, but not for another victory on the tennis court. This time, she was celebrating earning a college degree, 65 years after she first took classes. The 82-year-old sports and equality icon received her bachelor's of art in history from Cal State Los Angeles on Monday, walking across the stage in hot pink glasses and royal blue sneakers at the Shrine Auditorium with about 6,000 others in the class of 2026, reports the AP. "It's never too late, whatever age you are, whatever your abilities are—go for it if you want it," she said afterward.
Joined by student athletes and the school mascot, King hit autographed tennis balls into the crowd. Her black gown was accented with a gold graduation stole personalized by a friend: One side included her initials and the letters "GOAT," referring to "greatest of all time"; a multicolored tennis racket was embroidered on the other side. "It means a lot more to me than I thought," King said afterward. "I am so glad I did it. My hope is that one other person will go back to school." King announced two years ago that she'd work on completing her degree at the school where her bronze statue stands outside the physical education building. She's the first member of her immediate family to graduate from college.
King initially enrolled at the campus 5 miles east of downtown in 1961, the same year she won the first of her record-tying 20 Wimbledon titles, this one in women's doubles. "Things were different then," she told the students. "Winning a Wimbledon doubles title today is worth close to half a million dollars. In 1961, I think we won a $45 gift voucher to a local store." She soon left school to pursue becoming No. 1 in the world, winning 39 major championships and earning a historic victory over Bobby Riggs in 1973's "Battle of the Sexes." King helped establish the current women's pro tour while pushing for expanded prize money and opportunities for women.
Despite her many successes, King always carried a nagging feeling about not earning her degree. The biggest difference between learning in the '60s and today? "It's so much more virtual," she said. "Gosh, we had to be in class. I didn't go all the time, but I loved talking to the professors and I loved learning." Will King now go for a master's degree? She didn't directly answer that question but noted: "I just turned on the news and there's Shaq walking across at LSU getting his master's. I just think it's wonderful to keep learning."
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